It's Been a While
by Wild Growlithe
Summary: The last edition in my pokemon POV trilogy...it's from squirtle's POV this time...he's writing a letter to an old friend. Read it if you miss the old guys like I do ::smacks Ash:: Baka...bring them back!


::Wild Growlithe saunters in, looking bedraggled.::   Yes, as the title says, it's been a while since I've written something.  To any fans that I still have, I apologize, but a little thing called college came along and reared its ugly head -.-;  I've decided to finish up my "starter POV" trilogy that I started with "Am I Next?".  This one is from good ol' squirtle's POV.  It'll be my last fic for a while….until I find out that Misty's coming back.  I know that she'll be leaving at the end of the Johto season and I _refuse_ to watch pokemon or write fanfiction when she's not here.  Misty's practically the only reason I watch the show anymore ::pats her:: The poor girl…but you're not here to read my Misty rant…you're here to read.  So I hope you enjoy my last pokemon fanfiction for, at the very least, a really long time.  Ja!

Hey buddy,

            It's been a while, huh?  I mean….since you've heard from me or anything.  How's life on the road treating ya?  Not too tough for ya is it?  Ah, of course not.  If that wussy little chikorita can handle it out there than it should be a breeze for you.  How is life with those new pokemon anyway, huh?  They done anything useful lately?  Heh, I'm sorry.  They just pissed me off…dunno why.  Maybe cause they remind me of how I was before I toughened up.  Pa-thetic.  So, have you battled lately?  Won any?  Who am I kidding, you musta won every one you were in!  Unless Ash dropped you off like me and Charizard…..we're all just droppin' like flies these days aren't we pal?  I sure hope that you're still out there with him though…you never seemed like you'd wanna leave.

            Life here at the station is great.  The squad is in tip top shape…thanks to yours truly of course.  Not a target missed in weeks….we're rivaling some of the best pokemon fire-fighting teams out there!  Every day we're up with the sun, training till lunch time, then more training, then a break, then some more training…then sleep.  The next day we wake up and do it all over again…yeah it's great.  Jenny helps keep everything regulated and organized.  She keeps me and the guys in line and makes sure that we always follow the rules.  Man, I can't imagine how I ever got by without this routine, without all these rules.  I'm so much better off!  I've improved my aim, my stature, and most importantly, my morality. 

 AW WHO THE HELL AM I KIDDING??  This place is so by the book it makes me wanna scream!  And every day…the same thing over and over again…there are times when I just can't stand it!  Sometimes I think it's almost funny….I mean, here I am, the leader of the squirtle squad.  Leader of a gang of thugs….I broke every rule, I made people and pokemon afraid of me!  And here I am…working for a cop!  I'm almost ashamed.  I know that I pretty much went straight when I was with Ash…but I still had the freedom to do or be whatever I wanted.  It was never the same as being on a police team.  I know that Jenny's intentions are good, and I wish I knew how the rest of the squad felt…but I'm a guy who needs his freedom.  And they just can't give that to me here.  So many times, I've wanted to leave more than anything.  All it takes is a breeze blowing out into the training field, and I think of being on the road again.  Just the shout of "water gun!" makes me think of Ash.  Hell, the whole building had a huge electrical problem the other day, sparks flying everywhere from the circuit box…and I missed Pikachu, that ham.  And then I hear the quick whipping sound of the ropes we use for rescue training…and I think of you.  It's been a while since I've thought of the old gang…but I think of you every day pal.

I guess I really don't have a right to complain to you.  You must hate me for what I did.  I ditched you…and with Charizard already gone, the only buddy you really had left was Pikachu.  I can't say that I didn't want to leave…there was a big part of me that didn't want to, but another part that was just feeling the thrill of being with my old buddies again.  And they were a wreck without me…they needed me.  That's what still holds me back from just packing my bags and leaving the station.  I always knew that I was an important part of the team  to Ash.  But it'd been so long since I'd been  the leader…it was then that I really, truly felt like I was doing something great with myself.  I didn't think of you once, until it was time to say goodbye.  I was a little worried that you wouldn't even say goodbye to me…change has always been tough for you.  I'm glad ya did though.  You're the greatest…true blue. Heh…ya know sometimes I wonder how a hard-nose like you put up with a punk like me.  Man, I remember  what a great team we used to make.  You, me, and Charmander…we had the best thing going until dumb ol' Charrie had to go and evolve.  But even after he did, the two of us still kicked ass!  Winnin' every battle, every badge, beating the bad guys, getting trophies!  It felt like there was no one we couldn't take down.  Ash would be left flat on his ass if it weren't for us, and we knew it!  Kinda makes me wonder why he started dumping us off in the first place.

Yeah yeah, I know that's not the best way to put it, but sometimes I wonder about that kid.  Don't you?  Any other human woulda taken one look at that cop and told her to screw herself…find your own pokemon to fight fires with!  And how about that ditz that he left Charizard with eh?  Even if I were a human I'd have said HELL NO.  I'll bet he's having some pretty hard times against all those new gyms with all those newbie pokemon.  I wonder if he even thought about the tough times he'd face after leaving us off somewhere.  Maybe he did….maybe he cares for us more than himself.  Maybe the most important thing to him is that we're happy.  Maybe he knew that he was gonna face tough times ahead because of his actions but gave that up for us, knowing that he'd have to face those tough times on his own.  Or maybe he's just stupid.  Could go either way….maybe it's a little of both.

I'm sure that he thought going back with the squad would be best for me, and that's why he urged me on.  But then I get stupid and start wondering again.  I know that the guys are all better off with me here, but am I better off helping them?  I'm not getting any stronger here.  I'm just teaching them all of the skills that I already learned a long time ago.  And I know it's the right thing to do and all that crap, but I miss getting stronger and battling other pokemon.  And man, the things I do here can't compare to all the things that I did out there with you guys.  The guys hardly believe half the things I tell them!  Hell, I wouldn't believe stories about racing in an inflatable boat against Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres…just so that my trainer could help Lugia to save the world…if anyone else told me.  Or how about that time me and Wartortle saved that kid from the burning building?  Oh, or when the two of us took on that old geezer of a gastly and tried to fight "Venustoise?"  And oh man, I'll never forget the island of the giant pokemon!  That was some real bonding time for all us pokemon…yeah…good times.  I miss those good times…it's been a while since I've had a real adventure like that.

Well there I go, complaining to you again.  I'm really outta line…as usual.  You can just crumple up this letter when you get it…..even though you'll never get it.  So why am I writing it?  'Cause it's been a while since I've seen ya, heard ya….or talked to ya.  At least this way it feels like I'm shootin' the breeze with you again, just like old times…and you're silent as always, a great listener….thank you Bulbasaur.  Thanks for listening to me, even when you weren't in the mood.  Thanks for putting up with all of my crap, even though it pissed the hell out of you.  Thanks for  always being there, even when I wasn't.  Thanks for seeing through the troublemaking, rebellious punk that I am, and being my bud.  And tell the others I say thanks for the same thing.  I dunno how much it means to them, or to you.  But you guys are the family I never had.  And you can't just forget family…  So here it is.  My promise in writing to you.  I, squirtle, hereby swear on my honor as a squirtle that I will see you again.  Somehow, someday.  Maybe it won't be for good, but just a visit would make me happy.  And I hope it makes you happy too pal.  Cause it's been a while….a long while…and I think it's about time we got caught up.

Yours pal forever,

            Squirtle

::peeks out:: Well, was it any good?  ::puts down her "free Misty" sign and chews on her Ash figurine's head::  Sorry if it didn't live up to the expectations I may have made for myself…but like I said, it's been a while.  Reviews will be very much appreciated.  ::sighs and sits on the Ash figurine::  It's been fun…maybe I'll be back.  Until we meet again, this is your Wild puppy pokemon, die hard gakishipper, and Brock-basher extrordinaire, signing out.  Grooooooooowlithe!


End file.
